Trump to Continue Obama’s Policy on Medicare Fraud

McKnight’s reported that the Trump Administration will continue the Obama Administration’s policy of discovering and punishing waste, fraud, and abuse in the nursing home industry. However, based on Trump’s history of fraud himself, and the fact that he chose Tom Price as Secretary of DHHS, it does not appear that discovering and punishing health care fraud is on the top of the agenda.

Attorneys and former DOJ officials interviewed by Bloomberg BNA predicted that the new administration is likely to preserve several Obama-era policies in place. Those include the use of data analysis in fraud investigations, and the Yates plan to prosecute more individuals.

The department’s efforts to combat fraud in post-acute care will also likely remain a top priority, said Zane David Memeger, an attorney with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. That may include the the DOJ’s regional nursing home task forces, launched last year to target “grossly substandard” facilities.

“We have an aging population, and nursing homes and home health, they’re vulnerable to fraud,” Memeger said.

He also indicated that fraud in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries will continue to receive DOJ scrutiny.